The present invention relates to shipping containers. More specifically, the present invention relates to improved shipping containers for safely, conveniently, and inexpensively shipping hazardous materials within the non-pressurized cargo hold of an aircraft.
Shipping containers are used to transport small sizes or quantities of hazardous materials such as medical diagnostic specimens, biological materials, and infectious substances by private or public carriers. These samples are routinely collected and then shipped for medical implantation, diagnosis and other tasks. For example, blood samples are commonly taken at the office or home and then packaged and mailed to a laboratory for testing. With the onslaught of diseases which may be transmitted via bodily fluid contact, and the ever increasing number of biological specimens being transported via the mail and courier services, the integrity and safety of shipping devices used to transport these specimens has become of greater and greater importance. Thus, the shipping of biological specimens poses a significant health risk if the specimen is not placed within a suitably safe container. To this end, there are numerous federal regulations in the United States including those in Titles 29, 39, 42 and 49 of the United States Code of Federal Regulations. In addition, additional agencies have imposed safe packaging and shipping standards. These agencies include the International Civil Aviation Organization, United States Department of Transportation, United States Center for Disease Control, and United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration, among others.
In trying to transport hazardous items in compliance with the foregoing regulations and standards, problems have arisen concerning the shipping container's durability, rigidity, size, weight and cost. These issues are especially significant because the containers must be leak proof and pressure resistant. Durability problems exist with rigid containers due to the inevitable bangs, scrapes and dents that can occur to containers during handling and transport. These potential problems can bring about a loss of integrity. Another problem that exists is that containers can be very large in comparison to the material or specimens being transported, thereby creating unnecessary cost of the container and increased cost for transportation.
As a result of the foregoing problems, various attempts have been made to develop shipping containers which can withstand the rigors of transportation and withstand the atmospheric changes that result from non-pressurized aircraft flight. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,519 describes a package for aircraft travel. The container includes a semi-rigid outer casing, foam insulation and a flexible plastic liner for encasing articles to be shipped. Unfortunately, the container includes an unconventional foldable package which locks in place around articles to be shipped. The package is relatively expensive to manufacture and it is dubious whether it provides an airtight seal.
Meanwhile, U.S. Pat. No. 6,161,695 describes a structure including a cardboard box, foam package and sealable, flexible package. Unfortunately, the package requires a vacuum source to seal the package, thereby adding cost to shipping. U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,799 discloses a shipping container including an inner flexible bag and an outer flexible bag. The structural integrity of both bags is required to enable the container to meet national and international testing criteria for transportation. Moreover, the structure utilizes flexible sidewalls which does not protect the contents of the package from damage during shipping.
Thus, there is a significant need for a shipping container which is inexpensive to manufacture and meets applicable federal regulations and standards for the air transport of biological specimens.